- Sean "Diddy" Combs' trial began on Monday, in a federal court in lower Manhattan. It is expected to last eight to 10 weeks.
- He faces five federal criminal counts, including racketeering and sex trafficking.
- There will be no video or photography in the courtroom because it is a federal criminal trial.
The trial of rapper and producer Sean “Diddy” Combs began on Monday with the finalization of jury selection, opening statements from both the defense and prosecution, and the first witness testimonies.
Combs’ trial is taking place in a federal court in lower Manhattan. He is accused of sex trafficking, racketeering and other crimes, which were allegedly facilitated and covered up by his inner circle, per The New York Times.
Here is a look at what his trial will look like as it proceeds over the next several weeks.
What charges is Combs facing?
According to NBC, Combs faces five federal criminal counts: one count of racketeering conspiracy; two counts of sex trafficking by force, fraud or coercion; and two counts of transportation to engage in prostitution.
“Racketeering is the participation in an illegal scheme under the Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Statute, or RICO, as a way for the U.S. government to prosecute organizations contributing to criminal activity,” per NBC.
Combs has pleaded not guilty to all charges.
Can you watch the trial?
Because the trial is taking place in a federal court, there will be no video or photography in the courtroom, per USA Today. This follows a statute passed in 1946 that bars both photographs and broadcasting from the courtroom of a federal criminal trial.
Updates on the trial are being reported by a variety of media outlets that have reporters inside and outside the courtroom.
What does the jury look like?
Jury selection was finished on Monday morning, and a jury of 12 people, eight men and four women, were sworn in, per NBC.
There are also six alternate jurors who were selected.
During jury selection, potential jurors were asked if they could handle listening to the graphic and explicit testimonies that would be coming. Those who said they couldn’t were taken out of the juror pool, per The New York Times.
Who is Sean Combs?
According to The New York Times, Combs is one of contemporary music’s most successful producers and entrepreneurs.
He played a role in growing hip-hop and helped grow the careers of rap and R&B artists, such as Mary J. Blige and the Notorious B.I.G.
On Sept. 16, 2024, Combs was arrested and charged with sex trafficking, racketeering and transporting individuals to engage in prostitution.
In October, he was accused in over 100 lawsuits involving allegations of sexual assault, rape and sexual exploitation, as previously reported by the Deseret News.
Following his arrest, he was held at the Metropolitan Detention Center in Brooklyn, New York.
How long will the trial last?
According to NBC, the trial is set to last eight to 10 weeks.
Who will be testifying?
The prosecution’s first testimony on Monday was from Los Angeles police officer Israel Florez, according to CNN. Florez was a security guard at the InterContinental Hotel in 2016 and was called to the scene after Combs was caught on camera hitting and kicking his then-girlfriend, Cassie Ventura.
The federal case revolves around four of Combs’ accusers, who are identified in the indictment as “Victim-1,” “Victim-2,” “Victim-3″ and “Victim-4.” All four are expected to testify during the trial, per NBC.
According to USA Today, several of the prosecution’s key witnesses will be testifying under pseudonyms, as a way to try and protect their identities.
Ventura, Combs’ former girlfriend who was allegedly brutally abused by him, is also expected to testify against Combs, according to The Washington Post. In 2023, she filed a lawsuit against him, which was settled the following day.
Who is the judge?
Judge Arun Subramanian, who is relatively new to the federal bench, is presiding over the trial.
Subramanian was nominated to the bench by former President Joe Biden in 2022 and was confirmed by the Senate in March 2023, per The New York Times.
The opening statements from the defense and prosecution
The prosecution and defense both gave their opening statements on Monday after jury selection was finalized.
“To the public, he was Puff Daddy or Diddy. A cultural icon, a businessman — larger than life. But there was another side to him, a side that ran a criminal enterprise," said prosecutor Emily Johnson in her opening statement.
“During this trial you are going to hear about 20 years of the defendant‘s crimes,” Johnson added, according to The New York Times. “But he didn’t do it alone. He had an inner circle of bodyguards and high-ranking employees who helped him commit crimes and helped him cover them up.”
During the defense’s opening statement, Combs’ lawyer, Teny Geragos, acknowledged that Combs was a drug user who could be jealous and violent, and that he had an unconventional sex life.
“The evidence is going to show you a very flawed individual,” Geragos said, according to The New York Times, “but it will not show you a racketeer, a sex trafficker or somebody transporting for prostitution.”